Solace of You: Four Times Universe
by Dri-09
Summary: You run.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Solace of You ¼

Author: Dri

Pairing: Morgan/Reid, always.

Rating: R

Summary: You run.

Spoilers: _Profiler Profiled_ and a blink-and-you-miss-it one from _100._

Author's note: Part of the universe created in my "Four times…" fic, _Solace of You_ takes place right after _Waves of Energy, _but can be read as a stand-alone. It's also halfway done, going through beta. I'll be posting a segment every couple of days or so. Bear with me, please.

Always, my heartfelt thanks to my betas, Ana and Kelly, who put up with my changing sentences every five minutes without a complaint. To have such a lovely pair of betas holding my hand through all this... Ladies, you know you rock my fanfiction world! And another special thanks to anariazanyr for providing the information on Morgan's mother's birthday.

Not mine. If they were, the events in this fic ( and in so many others that I've read and love ) would be cannon.

Comments are loved, framed and cherished!

*****

The Solace of You 1/4

_They can hurt me and jail my body_

_I'll still be free_

_I've got the solace og you_

Living Color - Solace of You

Sometimes you dream you run.

Depending on the kind of day you've had, scenes may vary: lush green landscapes or a desert beach with clear blue water; busy streets packed with cars or the quiet neighborhoods that house your properties; a few times even the backside of the UNSUB of the week you set chase after stretch lazily and endless ahead of you.

These dreams are timeless; you are never in any hurry to get anywhere. You never get tired because you somewhat float from place to place; your feet never touch the ground and you never as much as break a sweat. In your dreams you are not necessarily invincible, but you are not afraid of taking any risks. You know if things get ugly, you can always blink yourself awake and carry on with your day.

The little aftermath of adventure tastes tart and refreshing on your tongue, and when your day starts, your gait is steadier yet lighter than usual, your mood is good, and you make it your mission to assure everyone you cross paths with has a day as great as yours: you smile more brightly at the secretaries and receptionists on your way to the office, you treat the girls to chocolate ( extra bars to Garcia ) and Reid to extra cups of coffee without giving him any shit about the amount of sugar he spoons into it. You ask Rossi about his upcoming book and cases he worked before your time at the BAU. You stand invisible guard between Hotch's door and the rest of the bureau ( your team included ), so the man can have some space after the hellish months he has had.

But your real mission for the day is to keep Reid smiling and safe by your side.

You don't let anyone ( yourself included ) slip any neglected paperwork into Reid's pile of reports. You tease him less, touch him more, and dare the other agents in the office to say anything about your touching him on the small of his back as you guide him out the door when your team is assigned a new case.

You dive into the case with the same enthusiasm you dive inside of Reid when this very same case is closed and the two of you are back at your place, in your bed, with your naked body covering your lover's. After everything is said and done, no matter how gruesome the case was, with Reid snuggled up and asleep against your side, clinging to you the same way you cling to him, you can finally close your eyes and rest assured the bad dreams won't come for you tonight; you have Reid's to chase away.

And in your dream you run without a care, without a destination. You never look back.

Those are the good dreams.

*****

The rustle of bed clothes being pushed aside makes you reach out your hand to your bed partner. The sheets are cold and not indented and neither is the pillow.

You open your eyes and call Reid's name. You wait, but there's no calling back.

You look over the door to the ensuitebathroom; it's closed and unlit.

There's, however, the faint light of early morning illuminating the open door to the hallway.

You leave the bed. Reid wouldn't stay in the dark. To find him, you have to find the light first.

The darkness is so dense you use the rough and smooth textures of the floor under your bare feet as a compass to guide you through the halls and rooms of your house. All the while you are calling for Reid without any kind of answer from your lover.

Half way down the stairs, you hear Clooney barking in the kitchen. There's light filtering through the doorway. Reid should be there.

The kitchen is empty but for Clooney. The door to the backyard is wide open, yet Clooney hasn't attempted to go outside. He is sitting by the open door, barking at something beyond the fence surrounding your backyard.

You step onto the front stoop. Reid's name dies on your lips when you see what waits for you outside your townhouse.

You turn to your left, turn to your right and nothing changes.

Your manicured lawn, barbecue pit, benches and flowerbeds have given place to sprayed redbrick buildings and walls plastered with illegally hanging posters. There's dirton the curb and a bus stop nobody would dare to wait at late in the night. There are gangs' muscle cars, and gangbangers closing deals next to broken payphones and trash bins. Your dog's barking is smothered by the gangsta rap you swore off at the age of eighteen, when you left for college.

You try to leave again.

The electricity charging the air fires up your panic and you take a step back into the house. A hard object pushes back against your spine. Glancing over your shoulder, you see the door has closed.

You try the door handle, once, twice, until your other hand starts slamming its open palm against the wooden surface. You call Reid's name, Clooney is frantic behind the closed door. You feel the sting in your palm reverberating in the joint knot on your elbow. You trade palm for shoulder, you consider kicking the door open and out of your way; you know nothing will happen.

It isn't your life that is locked in.

It's _you _who have been locked out.

And Reid is somewhere out there, too.

Promising your dog you will be back, you resign yourself to what waits for you beyond your doorstep.

You have to find Reid and bring him back.

*****

You are running. You are calling Reid.

The park your parents used to take you and your sisters to is pristine and very well kept. There in the swings you see two kids, a boy and a girl without faces, but you can hear their joyful laughter. They distract you from your focus just for a moment, enough for you to see that they are not alone. There's a faceless woman playing with a toddler on a blanket on the ground,a picnic basket beside her. She has red hair. She turns her face, and if she had eyes, you would say she would be looking right at you.

A squeal from the swings makes you look back at the children. Boy and girl jump from the swing and run past you. The boy is smaller, but he sprints with more energy than the little girl. They run past the woman, and you overhear her telling them to be careful and not to fall. The kids pay no attention; all they do is say something that sounds suspiciously like "Daddy! Daddy!"

Fear pricks you behind your eyes and the back of your throat.

All you see before resuming your run is the blur of some black and blue beat cop uniform.

*****

You don't stop. You are running. You are calling Reid.

You cross the street, sidestep cars and an old lady, and almost slam your face on the wire fence that has appeared out of nowhere right in front of you. The bolt lock is open, and something morbid that starts bubbling up inside your belly makes you open the gate and step into the empty lot. You don't fear finding another body buried under tons of litter spread on the ground. You know Reid won't be there.

Still you look and search until you find the things that were stolen from you in your childhood. You are stepping over them, looking at them over your shoulder on your way out, always calling for Reid.

A flat football.

A bloody cop's cap and badge.

And an empty box of brightly colored crayons.

*****

You run past the cemetery.

You run past the Youth Center.

You run past the Police Department.

You don't have time to revisit those demons.

Reid! Reid!

*****

Your lungs are burning. All the dirt in the street should have broken the skin on the soles of your feet.

You should be bleeding. Your clothes should be filthy.

You feel disgusting.

You can't stop.

You haven't found Reid.

*****

All the ways lead you home. That is where you at last end up.

You slow down. You walk up the entryway to your mother's house.

You bend down to pick up the tanned leather messenger bag lying on the doorstep.

You pull the door open. A tall presence flashes before your eyes. It brushes against the skin on your arm, the same arm you are stretching out to catch hold of a bony, long fingered hand.

"Reid?"

Reid is walking past you, silent and defeated. He is not looking you in the eyes.

You move, positioning yourself between Reid and the door. You once again reach out to grab his arms and stop him when your eyes notice the other people in the room.

You recognize your sisters sitting side by side on your mother's outdated sofa. They are shaking their heads, looking at you with sympathy and without uttering a word.

You can see the disappointment shining in your mother's eyes as she mutters over and over again: _You owe me grandchildren, a bunch of them._

Your daddy, large dead eyes and uniform stained with blood on the upper chest, is choking in his own blood, unable to voice his disappointment in you.

Your arms fall against your sides. Your lover brushes against you for the last time and walks out the door. You don't stop him; you finally accept what your falling in love is doing to your family, the only thing your mother has ever begged you not to.

_Don't ever disgrace your father's name. Don't ever disgrace your father's name._

*****

Derek wakes up with a start and out of breath, limbs heavy and stiff, covered in sweat and blinded by the panic of having his arms empty. Instinct beats lethargy and he turns his head to his left, lips ready to call his lover's name if necessary.

Reid is still fast asleep with his back turned to Derek.

Derek rolls on his back, presses closed fists against his eyes and takes deep breaths that are supposed to be calming. However, the heaviness in his chest persists, and in his heart he knows there is just one thing he can do to effectively soothe his nerves.

Betraying everything he has ever believed in, Derek turns on his side and reaches out for Reid.

"Derek?" his lover mutters, squirming in his embrace.

"Hush, baby; go back to sleep," Derek commands softly, stilling Reid's attempts to roll over and face him. "It's okay. I've got you. I won't let you go."

Derek waits for hours. When he is sure Reid is deeply immersed back in sleep, Derek buries his nose in his lover's hair and pledges things he is still not ready to say while Reid is awake.

*****

There are times you dream you are running. You hate those dreams because they always take you back to the same place.

They always take you back home.

*****

End Part 1 of 4. Continue in Part 2.


	2. Chapter 2a

**Disclaimer and all that jazz in Part 1.**

**They are not mine and I'm not making any money with this fic.**

*****

Solace of You Part 2a of 4

_When I can't think straight_

_And there's no escape_

_I've got the solace of you_

Living Color – The Solace of You

At first light Derek gears up and goes for a run. The desperate need to check with his own eyes the clean walls and streets of his neighborhood and assure himself that reality is very different from his dreams made him choose the longest route around his neighborhood.

He starts running down the street that leads to the main avenue where the grocery store and the bakery whose pastries Reid loves are. Then he takes a left and about twenty minutes later crosses the park he takes Clooney and Reid to every other weekend so his guys can bond and ( hopefully ) improve their relationship. A little further ahead, another three blocks that put him on his way back home, there's the playground Reid takes Derek, Henry and Clooney to whenever JJ and Will need some parents downtime and Reid is staying over.

Main circuit done, silliness and embarrassment do nothing to the jolt of relief overtaking Derek. Neighborhood is the same as yesterday with its two story houses and their mowed lawns, non-graffitied walls and stillness that screams 'ordinary, boring people living here.' Nothing like the blurred images in his dream, of which he doesn't remember much but the panic and crushing defeat he felt waking up. Derek just hopes his first reunion with his family after _the talk_ won't be half as traumatic. Well, this is something he's going to steam over tomorrow on the plane back home, back to Chicago. Today he'd better get a grip on himself so he and Reid can fully enjoy Thanksgiving dinner over at JJ's with their friends.

Checking his watch, Derek sees it's still early. Anxiety has made him run faster than usual. Since Reid probably hasn't even woken up yet, he makes a U turn and goes back to the park. There's a track field there; he could run a few lapsbefore heading back home to a cup of fresh coffee. If Reid manages to get up before Derek gets back, that is. Well, with the morning being this cold and humid, perfect for some sleeping in, or so Reid is fond of saying, Derek will probably have to brew his own coffee _and_ take a cup back to bed for Reid.

Now that's a good reason to smile: Reid in his bed again. Lately it has happened more often than not, which without a doubt constitutes a milestone for Derek, but not the only one marking his and Reid's budding relationship. There has been lots of firsts for Derek in between them, too. Small things, such as his not minding having someone else's laundry mixed with his and making space in drawers and closets, putting up various extras bookshelves around the house or giving the keys to his place to someone else not out of a job obligation or for emergencies, but because it felt right. Having Reid do the same things for him ( not the extra bookshelves, but stocking up his apartment with more than boxed breakfast food whenever Derek is around ) and for the same reasons defined what they have with words such as commitment, intimacy, complicity. Words that had been a big no-no to Derek before Reid came along.

However, what scares the hell out of Derek ( and for that matter confuses the hell out of him, too ) is that for the last couple of months he hasn't been scared _at all_. If nothing else, he has gotten even closer to Reid. Derek knew then it was high time he took pause and considered the direction their relationship was taking and how he felt about it.

Hooking up with another man had never been an option, not after what Carl had taken from him. Sure, Derek had moved on. Living his life in resentment would be like surrendering more parts of himself to his former mentor, and after years of abuse he had none to spare when he left for college. Once there he did everything he could to put together what Carl had taken apart, pretending each and every experience he had was his first: partying, drinking, fucking. Busting his knee had been the wakeup call he needed to get a grip on himself. Without the popularity football afforded him to pump up his ego, he had had to get reacquainted with the happy and selfless kid his parents had raised him to be in order to go through the years he still had left in college. The Derek Morgan of today started taking shape then.

Be it as a son or a brother, a footballer or an FBI agent, a friend or lover, he has always had his people's back, put their needs before his, and he has learned to live this way. If nothing else, it has made him stronger, more reliable to others, and more comfortable in his own skin. The one thing he could never get over though was his trusting people enough to share the things that make him question himself, that make him have doubts about his attitudes and that could show his vulnerability.

He can touch, listen and comfort, but he cannot share. Derek Morgan has always been very possessive of his own troubles.

Until, again, Reid came along with his natural awkwardness and innocence and immeasurable inner strength, making Derek do and, lately, wish for things he believed he had shielded himself from. And most importantly, no one but Reid has ever made him feel like he could share some of his burdens. Hell, the kid is starting to make him want to share the burden. Mamma has always told him love makes only half the beauty of a relationship; the other half was made of trust.

Derek had never done relationships. He had never spent an entire weekend lazing around on the sofa with someone, watching a Star Trek marathon in lieu of fucking the person through the cushions. He had never had anyone to share cooking or cleaning duties with. Had never had anyone to just hold him after a bad day in the office and that could use statistics to prove to him things would be alright.

He had never taken someone to his bed without the thoughts of sex or for the need to just hold someone in his arms and talk until both succumbed to some much needed sleep at the end of a busy day. Waking up early in the morning and just staying there, very quiet, barely breathing, just watching someone else sleep was something that had never crossed his mind.

Never before had he gotten tested so he could show his partner he was clean. Never before had he dreamed his partner would do the same for him, or that he would feel so awkward and blush so furiously when he asked his partner if perhaps they could forgo condoms from then on.

Never before had he had sex without any kind of protection, be it latex or the thick layer of veneer that masked what went deep inside his soul, between him and whichever girl he was sharing a bed with.

Never in his life had Derek ever anticipated how complete and alive he could feel just by being inside someone with nothing but moist, tight heat and pure emotions joining them.

Derek has lived it all because of Reid, the key element to make Derek call home and tell his mother he had been seeing someone, that it was serious. Even from miles away Derek could hear thoughts of grandbabies, bunches of them popping into his mother's head, the way excitement suspended her next breath, and then nothing at all when he told her it was another man. All the carefully crafted reasons he had thought up for this moment, all the _we've been together for seven months, he's a great guy, he understands the job, give him a chance and you and the girls will come to love him_ were shot down when his mother said matter of fact:

_It's Doctor Reid, isn't it?_

Derek could never lie to his mother. Hide things, yes; keep secrets, certainly, but lie? Never! His _yes, ma'am_ was followed by another long silence that for Derek translated into dismay and other things he chose not to associate with mamma. In the end mamma told him she loved him, but she needed time to… that she just needed time.

At the price of frayed nerves for both the son and the profiler, the first granted mamma the time she had asked for; the latter also granted her some unspoken requested space. It took the brother another couple of weeks to man up and call an IM conference with both his sisters to tell them.

Desiree still thinks Reid is way too cute for Derek. Sara thinks having a gay brother ("I'm not gay!" "Of course you're not," was the reply presented by a rolling-eyed wink ) is kind of hip, and neither understands how someone as sweet as Reid ended up with a brute like Derek. However, they would back him a hundred percent as long as Reid made him happy. Derek set a pre-recorded image of him on the camera and wiped his eyes before telling them that yes, Reid made him happy; Reid was probably it for him. Sara then prompted a puking smiling wink on the screen, Desiree a heart flashing one, and things went downhill from there. Trust Desi and Sar to ease his mind about his problems, to make him feel good, to make him laugh even if the joke had been at his expense. The good mood was gone though when Sara sobered up and asked how mamma had taken the news.

"Everything will be okay, Der. She will come around," she promised after he told her how their mother had left things.

Derek believed her. Sara has always been the perfect big sister, always taking good care of him and having his back. Besides, their mother called the next day, and has been doing so every couple of weeks ever since.

Derek however can't live on his sister's prediction alone. He is a man of action and the waiting is killing him, but there's nothing he can do until tomorrow.

What little he can do now is head back home to that cup of coffee and to Reid.

*****

End of Part 2a. Continue in Part 2b.


	3. Chapter 2b

**I wish they were mine, I really do. Disclaimer and all that jazz in Part 1. **

*****

Solace of You – Part 2b of 4.

_When I can't thing straight_

_And there's no escape_

_I've got the solace of you_

Solace of You – Living Color

Clooney greets Derek in the backyard with a lot of noise and fuss, demanding attention. They play ball and chase each other for a while until they both get tired and thirsty. Clooney follows him to the kitchen, but Derek will have none of that and tells him to stay put outside. He finds Reid still in his pajamas doing the newspaper crosswords at the kitchen table with a glass of water, another one with freshly squeezed orange juice and a straw ( when the hell did he have the time to get straws and oranges this week? ), and a cup of steaming coffee Derek hopes is his placed before him.

"Water first, then the juice, then the coffee," Reid says without taking his eyes away from the newspaper.

Derek sits next to him and eyes the coffee longingly, but reaches out for the water. "I'll be too full to drink the coffee then."

"That's the point. You need hydrating after exercising. Drinking coffee would have the opposite effect," Reid says, scratching his chin with the pen cap. "And stop nursing the water, Morgan; drink it."

"But I am!"

"Drink faster, because the juice has been sitting there for almost fifteen minutes now while you played with Clooney. Do you want it to lose all of its nutritious value?"

As far as routine on their days off go, Derek knows that this is an argument he's not going to win. He gulps the water and sucks on the straw slowly, remembering Reid's lecture on freshly squeezed orange juice acid and its harm to stomach and teeth, as well as its efficiency to replenish lost fluids, potassium and… What else? Glyco-something after exercising. Reid had created a whole new diet for Derek's pre and after exercising routine, starting with the orange juice and finishing with a balanced and nutritious breakfast that Derek has to cook himself because Reid gets bored with kitchen activities.

For Derek the drinking simply gives him time to indulge himself in one of his sexiest guilty pleasures: the opportunity to see Reid's mind working the puzzles: the way he bites the tip of the pen cap, the way he brushes his hair away from his face and mutters each letter he writes down. Today however something is off: Reid never takes more than five minutes to finish a crossword puzzle. Ten if he decides to write down the answers. This morning Reid reads and counts down the squared spaces, twists his lips in frustration then thinks some more and starts the cycleall over again. Moved by curiosity, Derek scoots his chair closer to Reid's and checks the crossword. All the spaces but one are filled. He squints and tries to read the clue, but the letters are too small.

Reid uses the tip of his pen to yet again count the spaces, and at the end of another mental math he sighs again and drops the newspaper on the table.

"Toughone, pretty boy?"

"What? Oh, yes, there's some kind of mistake with an answer and I don't want to check the Internet."

"Why not?"

"That would be cheating," Reid snorts like it should be an obvious truth.

Derek shrugs. "You have no qualms about cheating when we are playing cards."

"I don't cheat. I play magic tricks," Reid rebuts over the rim of the cup of coffee. Damn, right when Derek is almost done with the juice. "Anyway, doesn't matter. The newspaper made a mistake. There are ten letters in Harry Potter."

"Ten? Reid, there are eleven letters in Harry Potter."

"Eleven?"Reid scrunches forehead and nose and Derek so wants to take him at the table…

"Yeah, Uh… Eleven. H-a-r-r-y P-o-t-t-e-r," Derek spells it out to him.

Reid moves the tip of the pen over the paper without really writing anything. "Double t? You sure?"

Derek thinks back to book covers he saw over at Desiree's house. "Yeah, pretty sure. Double t and double r."

He shakes his head and puts pen and paper back on the table. "Nope; it gets even worse actually. They are three spaces shorter here."

"Let me see." Derek snags the newspaper and checks the clue. "Vampire saga written by … Reid, this is not Harry Potter."

"But it says vampire saga…"

"Harry Potter is not a vampire. He is a wizard."

Reid pouts. "A wizard?"

Derek laughs and pulls an unresisting Reid over to his lap. "Yeah, a wizard."

"So, who's the vampire?" Reid asks, lips getting near Derek's, a distraction hard to resist.

"No fucking idea." Reid tastes like oversweet coffee and every wise decision Derek has made recently. "You've heard of Harry Potter?"

Teeth, tongue, spit, Reid's warm hands going under his windbreaker.

"Who hasn't?" Reid says, unzipping his jacket; more tongue and teeth on skin, the temperature definitely goes up.

"You haven't gotten the facts straight," Derek gasps against the column of Reid's throat.

Reid whimpers and loosens the strings of his pajamas bottoms before kicking them off along with his underwear and adjusting his body against Derek's. "Too gay for that."

"Harry Potter?"

"Yeah, probably, whatever." Reid tears Derek's T-shirt off his body and presses his naked pelvis against Derek's. "Fuck me."

Jesus fucking Christ, are Derek's pants tight, because Reid just doesn't say things like _fuck_ without getting a reaction from Derek. "Reid, the dog," Derek pleads. Reid is too busy fondling his restrained dick and sucking on his neck to dignify him with an answer. Derek tries again, "The door is unlocked."

Reid pushes Derek's pants low enough to free his cock and sits astride him. "Then we'd better make it quick."

Wicked and bold and playful and blushing, and fuck it, Derek wants him. Last night was a long time ago. Derek wants him now!

"Shit, Reid." Derek urges Reid up and away from him. "I'll be… Just, don't move. I'll be right back."

Derek gets rid of his pants and sneakers to avoid any kind of accident and runs to the door to lock it. The kitchen has seen plenty of action recently; still he'd rather play it safe. Clooney whimpers outside and now it's his turn to ignore his dog. "I'll be back, boy. Just grant daddy five minutes and I'll play with you until it's time to…"

Whatever else he was going to say to comfort his dog has just trailed off because Reid is fucking lying on the kitchen table playing with his dick while smirking with eyes full of lust for Derek.

Derek gets the first thing he sees slick enough to be used as lube – a stick of butter – and rushes back to the table.

"Fuck, Reid."

"Yeah, fuck," Reid says, hooking his legs around Derek's waist. "I want you to."

Derek doesn't need a second invitation.

Index finger making a hole in the butter stick, Derek pushes his left arm under Reid to lift both Reid's legs and hook them over his shoulders. Because of Reid's long legs and their one inch difference in height, the position is more awkward than the ones they are used to trying. But hell if Derek cares about getting a backache for bending down so low to kiss Reid while his right hand, slick with butter, circles and circles Reid's skin until his index finger finds what Derek is looking for.

There's some discomfort for the kid. Derek can feel it in the way Reid's arms tighten around his shoulders, the way Reid bites Derek's lower lip. Derek lets Reid do whatever he has to in order to get more comfortable around Derek.

"'M okay. More," Reid whispers, and Derek once again digs the butter for more slickness and smears Reid with it. By now Reid has gotten hold of Derek's dick, each stroke keeping Derek interested, almost desperate, while Derek's fingers get Reid ready for more.

By the time Derek has three fingers scissoring Reid open, the dishes on the table are in serious danger of falling off and creating a mess of broken glass and china on the floor. Yet all that matter is Reid thrashing under Derek and demanding Derek's presence in him now. Derek isn't faring much better, leaking and sweating on legs that are holding him up on stubbornness alone.

"Fuck, Morgan… Please… I…"

"All right, baby. Hold on."

Derek smears butter on himself before aligning his body against Reid's. Despite all the preparation, Derek is careful, using all the mind over matter crap he can think of. Every inch of Derek's body that disappears inside of Reid makes the kid hiss and curse with pleasure. When Reid opens his eyes and smiles up at him, there's so much Derek can read in that smile, in those eyes shining just for Derek… So fucking much.

His Pretty Boy.

Falling in love shouldn't be so perfect, shouldn't feel so right.

"Morgan?"

Derek nuzzles the palm framing his cheek and plants a kiss on the warm skin.

Derek moves slowly at first, body in and out of Reid's, fingers around Reid stroking, squeezing, pulling Reid apart the same way Reid is doing to him. Derek risks some serious backache to the both of them by bending down as far as he can to kiss Reid and swallow his pleas to go faster, harder. Reid's legs slide from Derek's shoulders to his waist, arms wrap themselves around Derek's neck, and the writhing of bodies goes on and on and on, until things become erratic and Derek is spilling inside of Reid.

And Reid is so close. Derek can feel it.

He hooks his arms around Reid's waist and pulls himup into a sitting position. The sudden movement makes Reid yelp.

"Morgan!"

"It's okay, kid. Hold on, trust me."

Reid tilts Derek's face up and for a moment just touches the tips of his fingers to Derek's lips.

"With everything I am."

Derek presses an urgent kiss on the kid's lips and gathers him in his arms before either says something that really shouldn't be said in this kind of heat of the moment. He has enough control over his legs to turn them around and lay Reid on the floor, lips locked and left hand keeping Reid alive. Reid's hands roam blindly along Derek's back, cupping the back of his head, caressing his buttocks, urging Derek's pelvis down against his.

"Der…"

"So fucking beautiful, pretty boy… Baby, you're my baby…" The salt on Reid's skin, his neck, torso, ribs, burns Derek's tongue, breaks Derek's words, drives Derek crazy. "Come for me, baby."

Fondle Reid, caress Reid, make Reid scream words of nonsense that in the end carry just one sound that surprises Derek for its intensity.

"DerekDerekDerek…"

Reid is hot and liquid sliding along Derek's hand. Derek's lips soothing kisses along the kid's forehead, his eyelids, his nose.

"You're mine, pretty boy. You hear me? I'm not letting you go."

"I don't want you to."

Derek plants a final kiss on Reid's lips before rolling onto his back and tucking Reid against his side. Despite the coolness of tiles on his back and his not being able to make them much more comfortable, Derek is fighting drowsiness. No matter how drained the sex has made him, he isn't sleeping on his kitchen floor.

"What's it with you and sex in the kitchen?"

Reid laughs and nuzzles Derek's chest. "I was perfectly fine sitting here and doing the puzzles. You misled me with the vampire talk," he draws lazily.

Derek grins and tightens his hold around Reid's shoulder. "You started ripping my clothes off me!"

"I didn't hear you complaining," Reid talks back, rolling on top of Derek and sharing more kisses. "It was good, wasn't it?"

"Good?" Derek chuckles. "It was mind blowing. What brought this up?"

"I just missed you this morning." Something in the way Reid is smiling at him tells Derek there's more to that truth, but Reid changes the subject before Derek can say anything about it. "JJ called while you were out. She asked if we could get there a little earlier, at around half to twelve."

"Sure, I see no problems," Derek answers, running lazy fingers along Reid's back. "Why? Any specific reason?"

"Will is in charge of dinner, Cajun style JJ told me, and she and Garcia will be helping him."

"And that would leave Kevin in charge of Henry," Derek concludes. "One grown up alone can't keep up with the little man."

"No, Kevin will need all the help he can get," Reid says, kissing him. "And we are it."'

After lots of efforts Reid stands up and sorts out their clothes. Derek follows all his movements as he pulls his pajamas pants and T-shirt back on and throws the track suit at Derek's head. "Come on. You promised Clooney some quality time together before they take him to the dog's hotel, and it's already past nine-thirty. Take a shower while I mix your shake and… clean… the mess."

Seeing Reid blush after what they've just done and that he had initiated makes Derek grin. "At least this time we didn't break any dishes."

Reid blushes even more. "Practice makes perfect," he says over his shoulder, dumping the stick of butter in the trash can.

'Not really,' Derek thinks, pulling on his clothes as Reid moves around the kitchen. 'We do, Reid. It's all you and I, pretty boy, all our doing. And so help me God if mamma tries to guilt me out of this!'

*****

**End of part 2b. Next update will happen only when the fic is finished, and I'm halfway done with it. A little patience, please :) Thanks for reading and take care.**


	4. Chapter 3a

_**Hi there - **_

_**Since there are just two more installments to be written for this story, I decided to start posting again. Thanks for your patience, and I hope this chapter meets your expectation.**_

_**Dri**_

_****_

_When it hurts to be out there_

_Where no one will care_

_I've got the solace of you _

**Solace of You – Living Color**

Solace of You – Part 3a of 4.

"Okay, boy. You be good to the folks over at the hotel. Show them you have some good manners and don't cause any problems. I'll be seeing you in a few days."

Derek should be used to saying goodbye to his dog by now.

Every year the scene is the same: There's Derek and Clooney sitting on the front stoop of the house waiting for the hotel van to pick the dog up. Then there's Clooney's very euphoric barking and running in circles in front of the house the minute the van appears three houses away from Derek's. After that there's Derek crouching next to Clooney, rubbing the dog's fur and scratching the dog behind his ears while Clooney wiggles his tail and nuzzles Derek's hand, head nodding like he's agreeing to every recommendation, but everybody knows all the dog wants is to shorten the moment and be set loose and on his way to the hotel for dogs where he spends the week of mamma's birthday. And finally there's Derek's heart skipping a few beats as his dog is taken to the van and driven for a week away from Derek.

"Hey," Reid says, handing him a cup of fresh coffee. "Did Clooney go alright?"

"Thanks, man." Derek tilts his nose, pointing the same route the hotel van took. "I wonder how my mother could do this three times."

"Do what?" Reid asks confused.

Derek smiles at the kid, knowing that Reid can keep looking down that street for as long as he wants, and still by the end of the day not understand the foolishness that hits Derek when he thinks of his dog taking that same route away from him. Or of him boarding the jet and leaving his dog behind. "Say goodbye to three kids. I miss my dog already."

The answer makes Reid smile and Derek feels a little better.

"How long have you had him?"

"Seven years. I got him a couple of years after I started working at the BAU. Clooney had been just a puppy then." Derek laughs fondly at the memory of a pint sized Clooney running around his first apartment. "I moved to this house because he used to spend the day chewing on the furniture in my old apartment. Here he has a lot of space to play around without ruining anything."

"You sure have a lot of space here," Reid agrees, looking back at the house. "This place is huge."

Derek uses his mug to point to the house. "It was a good bargain. The house was rundown, needed a lot of work. The owner needed immediate money. Clooney and I needed a new place, and adding a little money to the rent I paid in the apartment, I had enough to meet the mortgage here. I sold my car to have the money for the first repairs and make a few rooms in the house livable." Derek laughs and involves Reid in a one armed hug; he hasn't touched Reid since their lovemaking in the kitchen and he misses the contact. "For a year Clooney came this close to sharing his crackers with me, but we made it. I started teaching hand-to-hand combat at Quantico to earn some extra money and finish the repairs. Later I used it to finish paying the mortgage."

Reid whistles and laces the fingers on his shoulder with his. "You did the remodeling all by yourself?"

"Yeah, everything but the plumbing and the electricity. At first it was because I couldn't afford to pay anyone, and later because it helps with the stress of the job."

"Helps? You still do it?"

"Not recently. We've been traveling so much I really didn't have the time to look for anything new. I can barely keep up with the maintenance of the properties I rent."

"You have other properties?"

"Yes, two houses and two apartments."

"Oh," Reid says, eyes trained to the houses in front of them. "I didn't know."

"Not something I brag about. From work, only Prentiss, Garcia, and now you know it."

"Prentiss," Reid mutters and visibly winces when he notices Derek heard him. "I, ah, see."

Derek tightens his fingers around Reid's when Reid tries to free his hand. The kid still has a lot to learn about not letting go, just like Derek has a lot to learn about sharing. Today Derek takes the first step; Reid has to understand Prentiss should not be an issue for them.

"Reid, listen," Derek says softly, looking Reid in the eye to soothe the edge of hurt he could hear in the silence, in the things Derek hasn't told him before. "Work has been tough this year, but the real reason I haven't looked for anything new is you."

Reid's eyes widen with the surprise of the admission. "Me?"

The only thing keeping Derek from kissing Reid is his neighbors, who could leave their houses at any moment. Derek really doesn't give a damn to what the neighbors will say if they catch him and Reid in some PDA moment, but he fears Reid will die of embarrassment if they are caught kissing in a place where he has been spending so much of his time.

"Yes, you," Derek finally says. "I'd rather spend my free time getting to know you than hunting for a house I don't need, or tearing down walls when I could be sharing moments like this with you. You are that important to me, Reid," he confides very softly, a treasure to be shared just between the two of them.

When Reid is happy, really happy, there's this small smile that doesn't show teeth, but that crinkles his eyes and that makes Derek feel like a much wanted Christmas gift Reid never thought he would ever get. Derek has found in Reid his own Christmas gift, but he knows better than opening it before the time is right.

"You are a man of many talents, Derek Morgan. Will I ever get to know all of them?"

"You know the most important of them, kid. Now if you are so keen on using a hammer, I'll take you with me for my next round of house maintenance," Derek offers, winking at him.

Reid's smile broadens and Derek lowers the arm around Reid's shoulder to his waist as Reid turns enough to thumb Derek's cheek. "It's not fair. I wish I could kiss you right here, right now."

Derek nods and shares comfort by kissing Reid's palm before leading them back to the house. "Come on. Kevin needs our help with the little man."

_****_

**End Part 3a. To be continued in Part 3b.**


	5. Chapter 3b

**_Disclaimer and all that jazz in Part 1._**

_**morganreid**__**morganreid**__**morganreid**__**morganreid**__**morganreid**__**morganreid**_

_When it hurts to be out there  
Where no one will care  
I've got the solace of you_  
**Solace of You - Living Color**

** Solace of You - Part 3b of 4**

A plate of corn bread is shoved in their faces as soon as the door to JJ's house is opened.

"Oh, my dearest Wampanoag; I come bearing the gift of corn."

"Actually the Pilgrims, who by the way weren't real pilgrims because they weren't in any religious mission, didn't find the corn. They robbed the corn from the Wampanoag and ransacked graves looking for more. It was out of necessity, of course; they didn't have enough food to last for too long in the winter. Still there aren't any available records saying the stolen corn was ever restituted. The colonists never accounted for what they did at the Indian cemetery either."

Each fact Reid lists leads Garcia to flare her nose and take a step towards them, which leads Derek to poise himself between Reid and harm and step back until they are backed against the rail of JJ's front porch.

Garcia takes another step closer to them. Her chest puffs out the head of the turkey embroidered in the bodice of her thanksgiving apron, and points a menacing finger at Derek's nose. Derek uses the box of pie and bottle of wine he is carrying as the last shield between them and the wrath of Penelope Garcia. He doesn't know how long the shield will keep.

"You," she tells Derek, "out of the geek bubble."

Derek winces. Behind him Reid swallows hard, but stands his ground.

"Baby girl, let's be reasonable. Reid meant no harm. There is no need to draw a geek bubble."

Another menacingly step closer to them. "He who dares to speak ill of a day meant to be enjoyed by friends and family, and say grace for our good fortune-"

"Garcia, come on. You know as well as I do that there's more to the story than what they teach us at school. If you cross historical facts and literature-"

"You are not to speak," she orders, now pointing her red polished nail to Reid. "Even my pacifist vegan parents celebrated Thanksgiving for what they teach us at school. This is the one day out of 365 that I forget the real dirty behind thanksgiving tradition because I like to eat a turkey that is not made of tofu with a peaceful mind."

"I like Thanksgiving meal, too."

"See, baby girl, Reid likes thanksgiving meal, too. Let's just forget-"

Garcia flicks her wrist, indicating the space behind her. "Choco-muffin, get your gift of corn and step out of the geek bubble now."

Derek looks back over his shoulder. Reid stands proud and tall in the awake of his demise. "You may go, Morgan. I can hold my own with her."

Derek is not a hundred percent sure he should leave them alone inside the geek bubble. "You sure? Penelope will come down with the heavy guns."

"I'll be fine."

Derek steps around Penelope and manages to get a bun of corn bread without dropping the other things in his hand. Then, under the risk of having her wraith turned towards him, he takes a step back and kisses her on the cheek, the spot not covered by the lace of her pilgrim cooking hat. "Go easy on Reid, baby girl. I've just got him. You gotta let me keep him for a while."

"I shall not take the gift of love away from you." Penelope blinks a wink at him. "Now chop-chop, go."

Derek gets inside the house and closes the door just in case. Reid's and Penelope's voices take turns listing all the verifiable and not-so-verifiable facts about thanksgiving cited in the geek and conspiracy books they've read. Derek needs a safe place, and according to the noises and spiced and sweet aromas drifting around, the kitchen is it.

JJ is busy cutting veggies at the counter while Will stirs some bubbling thing in a pan and supervises JJ's work at the same time.

"Sure smells good in here."

"Derek, hi," JJ greets him with a smile. "Come on in."

Derek leaves his gifts on the table and sweeps JJ up in a hug. "Ain't you all pretty up with this fancy hat and cute apron?" Her Pocahontas pigtails dance around her face as he pirouettes her.

JJ laughs and smoothes down Garcia's twin apron. "Garcia and the Internet are a danger to humankind. Thank God she's on our side."

"Where's yours, man?"

"Penelope couldn't find one with the right cleavage."

Derek laughs and they briefly go through the handshake-pat shoulder-handshake male routine as they greet each other.

"Good, having a fun morning," Will says with his typical calm, making the word fun sound like a game of bridge with a bunch of eighty-year-old ladies. Will points his nose towards the ingredients spread over counters and table in the kitchen. "Wanna help?"

"Baby duty, man. Sorry," Derek says, noticing for the first time the absence of baby sounds. "Where's the little man?"

JJ's eyes grow large with apprehension. She looks towards the back door. Will raises an eyebrow and JJ sighs in frustration. "He's outside with Kevin. I don't like the silence."

"They've been silent for five minutes, Jen."

"He's only two. The silence makes me nervous."

Derek goes to check the window. Kevin and Henry are sitting on the ground reading a book. There's a backpack next to them with some crayons spilling from a side pocket.

"They seem fine to me," Derek says, letting the window curtains fall back into place.

Will goes back to his pots. JJ hesitates.

"Jen, the vegetables."

"Okay, all right," JJ says, moving back to the cutting board. "Where's Spence?"

"Outside with Garcia. Geek fight."

JJ rolls her eyes. "Oh my. What now?"

"The accuracy of the facts behind all things thanksgiving."

"Who's winning?" Will asks from his place at the stove.

"I don't know. Garcia kicked me out of the geek bubble."

JJ drops her knife on the cutting board and steps around the table. Behind them Will sighs.

"They drew the geek bubble? This is serious."

"We need protection," Derek agrees, nodding.

"What's a geek bubble?"

"There's no time for that now, Will. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know, beautiful girl." Just then the front door opens and then closes with an almost bang. They can hear the cadence of Garcia's wooden clogs clacking impatiently on the wood floor, followed by the squishing sole of Reid's sneakers dragging closely behind her that is about to seal their fates. "We need a plan, JJ. We need a plan now."

JJ is twisting her fingers, Derek is alternating looks between the back door and the kitchen doorframe, and Will has stopped what he was doing all together.

"Jen, what's-"

"JJ," Garcia shrieks.

"JJ," Reid whines.

"Geek free zone," JJ says, pushing Derek around the table.

"Geek free zone," he agrees.

"What is a geek-"

"Stay quiet and do as we say," JJ cuts Will off, standing on his left behind the kitchen table. Derek stands on his right and gets ready for the fight that will take place in…

"JJ, tell him the first thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621!"

"But JJ, it's like saying that before 1621 people didn't say thanks at all! Indigenous nations have celebrated harvest for many centuries now; it's been part of their tradition for ages."

"Reid, turkey! Clear conscience!"

"To deny centuries of Indigenous traditions is like killing their existence to…"

"GEEK FREE ZONE!"

To render Garcia and Reid speechless at the same time is the accomplishment of a lifetime. Derek had to hand it to Will. Derek would never refer to the man as the calmness before the boredom again. Will looks just as shocked as the rest of them.

"It worked."

"H-How do you know about the geek free zone?" Garcia stutters. She turns her betrayal flamed eyes to Derek and JJ. "How could you..."

"It wasn't supposed to leave the office, guys," Reid's turn to kill JJ and Derek with a scowl that makes him as dangerous as a kitten Derek wouldn't mind cuddling.

Jesus, he has got it bad.

"Not my fault, pretty boy. I didn't say anything," Derek rushes to say and steer clear of trouble with Reid. Last time it happened, sex had been withdrawn for almost a week.

"Me neither," JJ added, barely containing the laughter off her voice.

"Hey, I'm an investigator, too. Give me some credit."

Reid has the decency to look abashed. Garcia, on the other hand…

"We're not in the office. You can't claim a geek free zone here."

"Penelope and Spence, no geek fighting on Thanksgiving Day," maternal JJ takes charge and scowls at her bickering friends. Stepping out of the geek free zone, she joins them on the other side of the table. "We are all here, geeks and brats, because we do get along well. Now let's all be friends again."

Both glance at JJ, then at each other. Reid rehearses a shy, apologetic smile; Garcia holds out the plate of corn bread.

"Gift of corn?" she askes, to which Reid promptly thanks her mumbling, "The pilgrims and the Wampanoag probably swapped recipes for all that we know anyway."

"Okay, folks, time to stop embarrassing ourselves with all this silliness and go back to being serious adults if you want to have dinner anytime soon today," Will says, resuming his work at the stove.

"Will is right," JJ says without missing a beat, catching Reid around his elbow and dragging him to the back door. "Come on, Spence. Henry can't wait to see you."

Reid, mouth full of corn bread, barely has the time to shove Derek the boxes with sweet treats for Penelope and JJ he's been carrying before the back door opens and closes, shutting Henry's squeal of _UNC_ _SPEN_ behind them.

Derek is still smiling, thinking about all the trials and tribulations teenage Henry will have to go through to fly under his mother's radar in the future when he notices Garcia has been eyeing him. The tenderness edging her red lips turns that barely there smirk into a soft demonstration of affection Derek is used to getting from her when he has done something extremely good or been extra nice to some victim or one of their own. Since he hasn't given her the chocolate they brought, Derek doesn't remember having done anything since they'd gotten to JJ's.

"Hey, baby girl. What's up?"

"What are those?" she asked, tilting her chin towards the boxes in his hands.

"The big box is dessert, the smaller ones something special for the cook assistants."

"The cook gets nothing?" Will protests from his corner in the kitchen.

"A bottle of red with his name on it."

"Sweet."

"They will keep out of the fridge?" The sternness coating Garcia's voice draws his attention back to her. It wasn't a question, but she's waiting for his answer.

"I guess?"

"Wrong answer." She grabs the bigger box and his free hand before leading him to the front of the house. "Will, we're taking Derek's treats to the garage."

"There's space in the fridge here… " One raised eyebrow is enough to make Will agree with Penelope. "Okay, take your time. Dinner is supposed to be served in the evening, anyway."

She smiles and bates an eyelash at Will. "No worries, sweetie. We'll be right back."

And Derek knows he is doomed. She will be finished with him before even starting, and for reasons unknown to him.

Once in the garage, Garcia arranges their parcels among bottles of soda and cans of beer to her satisfaction, then she turns her sole attention to him. Garcia has sharp senses wrapped in a caring nature, making it hard for her to mask how worried she is about things. Right now her concerns belong to him, and to say he is nervous would be an understatement.

"Baby girl, what's wrong? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Garcia and deep breaths are so not good.

"You didn't really think I'd hurt Reid, did you?"

Huh?

"Of course not, baby girl. What gave you-"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?" Judging the way apprehensiveness wells up liquid and bright in her eyes, he has come up with the wrong answer again. "Penelope, I don't know what you want me to say."

According to her silence, Garcia doesn't know either, just like during those first few weeks after him and Reid had told the team.

Derek and Reid had cracked some nervous jokes about the way their teammates would take the news of their being an item. At that point it had been more a formality considering that, Emily aside, who had been there with them at JJ's, everyone but Garcia had kind of been onlookers of their unfolding situation from the very beginning. It hadn't taken Garcia too long to catch up with the group and become aware of all the ongoing changes in Derek and Reid's relationship and why.

In their little game, Derek and Reid had anticipated Hotch's frown and Rossi's know-it-all smirks, and had diverged on JJ's and Emily's reaction to the news: Reid and Derek knew the girls would be happy for them, but Derek had bet Emily would show more delight than JJ, and he had been right, like Reid had been right about JJ being even more motherly towards him, which, of course, proved to be true more than once. As for Garcia, they had both braced themselves for embarrassing questions and definitions of tops and bottoms, or all the major reason they had to join the next DC pride with her as their glitter-sparkling fairy godmother. Derek had _relied_ on that, and hell if Derek would ever admit even to himself how much her silence and reluctance around them - around _him_ - those first couple of weeks had hurt.

"You're doing that again, Penelope," he tells her around a resigned smile.

"Doing what?"

"The silent treatment." Her confusion sounds so genuine he can't get mad at her. "I thought you were done with your thinking this situation over."

"Hey, this is not fair," she says, walking up to him. "I told you I needed time to understand what was going on between you and Reid and to make sure you knew where you were getting yourself into. But I was happy for you then, Derek. No, scratch that," she says, shaking her head. "I _am_ happy for you guys. You've been good for each other."

"So why all these questions now? What has changed?"

"You have, Derek."

"I-"

Derek wants tell her he is still the same guy and nothing has changed, but pieces of a bad dream from which his strongest memory is the aftershock of the terror caused by the absence of Reid is like a violent slap on his face that shakes Derek to the core and silences his denial.

"I know, baby girl," Derek tiredly admits. "But isn't it the good kind of change people talk about, the kind that makes you a better person?"

Garcia smiles and grips both of his hands, offering the kind of physical comfort he knows she knows he needs but would never ask and yet would be thankful for. "Of course it is, sweetie. But it's also the kind of change that makes you confused and afraid."

"Afraid? Afraid of what?"

"Let me keep him for a while?" He tries to protest, but she's faster than him. "You've seen me banter with Reid time and again, Derek, geek bubble or not. Today you stepped in front of him as if all our silliness would leave our pretty genius brain dead, or like my sparkling-self would cause him any kind of body harm," she says with more confidence than humor, which he knows come from the few minutes she had spent with them in the porch. "That, my love, told me more than you were ready for me to know, let alone your boyfriend."

"Doesn't mean I'm afraid, Garcia." _Not of you._

"But you are confused. Being afraid is the natural next step. I did wrong by you once, Derek. Like all the others, I thought Reid was our only cause of concern, that he would be the only one hurt if it didn't work out between you."

"He has never been just a fling, Garcia. I wouldn't have started anything with him if I hadn't been a hundred percent sure he wouldn't end up hurt."

"I know, I know," she assures him, squeezing his hands without erasing the small specks of hurt that still remain. "I felt awful about that. I still do, Derek. You are made of integrity and I know he is in good hands. But this time I don't think I'm overreacting, because I know this thing with Reid is a huge step for you, sweetheart."

"Garcia, I'm okay."

"I know you are." Garcia is gentle in her touch, with her words, with her smile. "But coming to terms with all this… hugeness may be painful to the other people that are part of our lives. It's in our nature to want to do everything in our power to easy their pain, even if it hurts us along the way."

Derek only smiles and says nothing. He can see now she understands better than he gives her credits for how important Reid has become to him, that she has seen how much the mere thought of losing Reid would damage Derek, perhaps even beyond repair.

And she is right: this thing with Reid is so big, so wonderful and so painful; he has never named it to anyone, not even himself. Thoughts of falling in love are easier to deal with when they are just that, something abstract people conjure up to deal with their own expectations. The real thing, however, has been trickier, because once experienced, words are never enough to convey what it really means, at least not for Derek; saying the words to Reid wouldn't be enough. From the beginning it has been about showing affection and doing stuff he knows pleases Reid because Reid has read all the books, has memorized all the definitions, has known all about the chemical reactions the body goes through during this process, known what each step represents on the fine art of loving someone in theory. Derek wants to be Reid's practice, Reid's own phonetic experience, the beginning and the end of each sound produced by each letter that defines what Derek feels for him.

And Derek is ready for that; he really is. But are the other people in his life? Is Reid?

Derek has been right; Garcia understands. The light in her eyes has changed, dulled to something closer to reality, to the understanding he had been hoping to get from her.

"I wish I could make things easier for you," she says softly.

He won't lie to her. She deserves better than that. And telling the truth would hurt too much. "I'll be fine, Garcia. I promise."

"Of course you will, sweetie. You are _the _Derek Morgan."She cradles his head in her hands, looks at him squarely in the eyes, and in hers he sees the greatness of the power of her beliefs in him. "Just remember you're not alone. I'll be with you every step of the way."

He pulls her into a hug, kisses her forehead, and is reminded yet again of why *mamma* is not just a casual nickname he has for her. "Thanks, baby girl."

"Hey, what is this thanking me? You are still my best guy, right?"

They smile at each other and start on their way back to the house in comfortable silence until Garcia tugs on the arm linked with hers.

"What, baby girl?"

"Hum, nothing. Just that perhaps you could do a little thing to show your appreciation for the never-ending wonder that is me."

He knows that smile. He is afraid of that smile.

"I know I'll regret it, but how?"

"Cameras," she sings song and he snorts.

"Forget it, baby girl."

"But, hot stuff, yours and brainy boy own reality show. How much more awesome can it get?" After a dramatic pause, she traces a large arch in front of them as she says, "Your own B-B-B."

"Let me guess, let me guess." He stops and uses his thumbs and index fingers to mimic a camera and frame each word he says. "Big Brother Bureau."

"Of course not, foxy muffin," she says, slapping him on the arm. "I have it every day at work."

He's so fucked up. "So what does it stand for, baby girl?"

Garcia stops on the last step of the front porch and uses her own thumbs and index fingers to frame his face.

"Big Brother Bedroom, sexy! What else?"

This time he laughs for real as he opens the door and ushers her inside.

_**morganreid**__**morganreid**__**morganreid**__**morganreid**__**morganreid**_

**End of Part 3b. To be continued in 3c.**_**  
**_


	6. Chapter 3c

**Disclaimer and all that jazz in Part 1.**

**Solace of You – Part 3c of 4**

The plan is ridiculously easy in its simplicity: three grown up men taking turns to entertain a two-year-old toddler for a couple of hours until it is time for the kid's nap. Could have worked had JJ stuck to her part of their plan and not strayed into the back yard every five minutes only to undo their 'entertaining Henry' scheme. So, while Reid and Kevin put on their thinking caps to work on how Henry's weight, body mass and age can work to their advantage to tire the kid out, Derek organizes games of hide and seek, plays soccer and runs in the yard with the little man. All in all, there is a lot of noise involved, and it is enough to keep the kid from asking for his mother until, of course, JJ finds some lame excuse to venture outside and check on them. Derek doesn't hold it against her; he had totally done the same thing with Reid and Clooney in the beginning, when he didn't trust leaving the two of them alone together for more than five minutes.

At twelve there is a quick pause for the kid's lunch, and later on another couple of hours dancing their way around the world with some colorful children animals – The Backgardens or something like that - on the TV in JJ's living room. Pictures of them choreographing like the characters on TV and Henry giggling all along were taken, first by Garcia, then by JJ, and Derek knew some kind of bribe will be in order for the next couple of weeks or so. As long as it doesn't involve filling reports of any kind, he will be game.

At a quarter to three, JJ takes the little man upstairs while the rest of them set the table and hold their breath. JJ has been categorical: dinner starts when Henry is down. Fifteen minutes later she comes back downstairs.

"We've got two hours. Start making the most of it."

Derek bows his head respectfully and discretely covers Reid's hand lying on his thigh while Will says grace, and then they dig into the meal with gusto. It's sweeter and spicier than Derek's mamma's, almost as good, and every member of their party let Will know how much his effort is appreciated by having two helpings each. First round of cleaning up is a team effort for the ones still able to move after the major stuffing up (Reid and JJ are two skinny bottomless pits; damn their metabolism! Derek can see himself doing two hundred extra pushing ups for the next couple of weeks to detox), and soon it's time for dessert. When there's absolutely no way any of them can pack in another forkful of pumpkin pie, they stay at the table chatting away until it's time to start eating all over again.

The hours fly by and Derek has no reason to complain; there's been plenty of food, entertaining conversation with some of the finest people he has ever met, and time to relax without their cell phones ringing.

"Will, honey, this was amazing," Garcia says with a happy sigh.

"What a shame the others couldn't join us for that," Reid says, serving himself with another thin slice of turkey.

"I hope Hotch and Jack are having fun in New York with his brother, and Emily said that she and David may stop by later to watch the game with us if they survive dinner with her mother," JJ says, and Reid's little frown doesn't go unnoticed by Derek.

"Jack's first holiday without his mother," Garcia says, smiling sadly and Kevin kisses her on the cheek. "He's so young."

"Losing a parent at such a young age must be really hard," Will agrees with her.

"It is," Derek says, grateful when Reid traces soothing circles on the palm of his hand.

"They will be fine, guys. With a parent like Super Agent Hotchner, who wouldn't," Kevin says, and perhaps to lighten up the atmosphere in the room, pats his stomach and turns to Will. "As for me, Jesus, I'll need two Black Fridays in a row to get rid of all this food," he complains. "You're still on for tomorrow right, Will?"

"Oh, man. We really gotta be there at the crack of dawn?"

"Of course, man! Being there at the crack of dawn is what makes Black Friday Black Friday!"

"All the rustle and bustle of people eager to melt their credit cards…" Garcia says, eyes twinkling and her usual excitement back in place.

"The adrenaline of knowing that you've gotta be faster and fiercer than the next guy," Kevin says next.

"…to get the best deals…"

"…what is yours by right…"

"And dodge the kicks and the hands out there to get you…" The blood in Garcia's eyes kind of scares Derek.

"The kind of experience every single human being worth their weight should have at least once in a lifetime!"

"Definitely!"

The silence that follows is filled by amusement until Will bursts out into laughter.

"You guys sure it's not a battle zone out there? I gotta be careful; there's my best girl and kid to support…"

"Man up, dude," Kevin says, slapping Will on the back. "I bet you've seen worse in your job."

"Yeah, with a gun and proper back up."

"Pen and I will keep you safe, man. We know where all the good stuff is."

"Stick with us and no harm will come your way, sweetie."

"Until I stand between you and the latest gadget you guys want to put your hands on."

Kevin and Garcia exchange a meaningful look before answering the veiled question.

Kevin sips his wine. "Yeah."

Garcia wrinkles her nose. "Definitely."

"It's been a fun couple of years, Will," JJ says, raising her glass in a farewell gesture. "I'll make sure our child never forgets you."

Derek is laughing and sipping on his water. "Duck and dodge and don't stay on these crazy people's way and you'll live to see your kid off to college."

"For profilers, you guys kind of suck at this reassuring stuff, you know," Will laments, pouring more wine for himself.

Garcia tries to comfort Will by rubbing his back. "I bet things are different back in New Orleans. I believe you don't get much electronics there?"

"Thinking about that, I don't remember seeing any electronic stores there," JJ pipes in their conversation. "Magazine Street feels more like a trip down memory lane than anything else."

"That's because there isn't any," Will says, looking kind of suspicious at the woman who's just confessed he may very well be run over by her and her boyfriend if he gets caught between them and a new electronic toy they fancy. "Now if you're looking for antique shops and hot towel barber-shops, down to the foamy facial massage and all, that's the place to go. They have some terrific restaurants there, too."

"It's incredibly romantic, too. Convinced me southern people may have some charm, after all," JJ says, winking at Will.

"We southerners are made of awesome, babe," Will replies with a smug smile. "That and the little voodoo-dolls hidden in the closet."

They all laugh, and Derek takes the opportunity to stretch his arm on the back of Reid's chair and run his hand through the loose strandsof hair.

"I like the sound of that."

"Little voodoo dolls?"

"Of course not," Derek says, distracted by how silky the kid's hair is. "What do you say, pretty boy? Perhaps we could traipse down there for a long holiday, get ourselves some romantic downtime. How would you like that?"

"My god," Garcia gasps out. "Derek Morgan is doing romance!"

Derek responds by throwing a bonbon wrapper at her.

"Magazine Street is great to get the feeling of a New Orleans from the twenties, a great history lesson. The hot towel shaving is great too, something every man should try at least once. But for romance, I'd rather go to one of the jazz clubs on Bourbon Street," Reid says with a dreamy smile and Derek's good mood gets just a little sore.

"Shall I make plans to personally deliver that complimentary fruit basket while we're at it, pretty boy?"

Reid swallows whatever he was going to say next to glare at Derek, who feels like he may have said too much. After all, nobody needs to know about his occasional bolts of jealousy over Reid's long gone past flings or whatever.

JJ's eyes get, if possible, even rounder, while Garcia claps her hand and squeals in delight, and perhaps it's a good time for Derek to kiss his boyfriend's hand and try to stay away from the dog house on his last night in town.

"Oh! Tell us all the juicy details, sexy boys! Leave nothing to my dirty imagination."

Will and Kevin may have turned a little green while Reid blushes furiously. And so does Derek, if he's honest with himself.

"Time for a bathroom break," Reid says, putting down his glass and standing up.

"Use the one upstairs and take a look at Henry for me, Spence."

"Sure, JJ."

He almost feels guilty for making Reid blush.

Then the kid stops at the foot of the steps and Derek knows he's in trouble when Reid turns evil eyes at him.

"Remember to tell them what else came up with the fruit basket while you're at it, lover."

Derek knows that surely two out of the four people at the table are more than eager to learn what was up, inside, and all the other things that happen when he and Reid are together and without an audience and Derek is feeling a little possessive.

"So," JJ says.

"So what?"

"We're waiting," Garcia says as if Derek really doesn't understand what she is implying.

"I'm not waiting for anything," Kevin quickly replies.

"You can start on the dishes, then."

One look at the sink has Kevin changing his mind. "Okay."

Traitor!

Derek himself is about to stand up and face the sink when the doorbell rings, and like a flash he bolts from his chair.

"The bell loves me, the bell loves me," he chants heading for the door and ignoring the booing and chicken sounds JJ – and is that Will? – are making in the background.

A distressed Emily, with her arms flying around and clicking high heels, storms past him and into the house, while a smirking Rossi offers Derek his outstretched hand in greeting.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Derek," Rossi says, looking beyond Derek's shoulder.

"Happy Thanksgiving, man." Derek gestures behind himself. "What's the matter with her?"

"Her mother," Rossi says, following Derek inside the house.

Emily is pacing up and down JJ's tiny dining room, not even stopping to accept the glass of water Garcia is offering her.

"She likes him," Emily says in total disbelief. "I thought that she was just being civil at all those functions we attended, but she really likes him."

"Is she this distressed because her mother likes you?" Derek asks in disbelief. Rossi nods and accepts the glass of wine Will is handing him.

Sighing, Derek walks to Emily and hugs her. "It's not your mother's fault the old dog is charming, beautiful." Emily settles down and hugs him back.

"Happy Thanks-fucking-giving, Morgan," she snorts against his shoulder.

His reply is cut off by Henry's delighted "Auntie Emmy" and the uneasiness that screams that's-the-girl-you-had-wanted-to-start-a-family-with-not-so-long-ago shining in Reid's eyes.

Happy Thanks-fucking-giving indeed.

**End of Part 3c. Continues in Part 4a.**


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